Combined packing-case and tag.



Patented July 27, 1909.

H. M. WILLIS.

COMBINED PACKING CASE AND TAG.

APPLIOATION FILED-JULY 31.1905.

..IIIIIIIAi @Maw eO X KQ l HENRY M. WILLIS, OF EAST WILLISTON,'NEW YORK.

COMBINED PACKING-CASE AND TAG.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 31, 1905.

Patented July 27, 1909.

Serial N0. 271,991.

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, HENRY M..W1LL1s, a citizen of the United States, residing in East Williston, Nassau county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Imrovement in Combined Packing-Cases and ags, of which the following is a description.

This invention relates to packing-cases or boxes and has special reference to that class of packing-cases used for the reception and transportation ol small articles which are usual y more or less frail or unsubstantial and, in consequence, which may be readily fractured and the contents broken, spilled. or ruined by a blow caused by the canceling stamp inthe post-oliice.

Amonr the ob'ects of my invention may be noter the following: To provide a substantial and strong packinU-case or box in which small and frail articles may be conveyed, without fear of injury, through the mail or otherwise; to provlde a combination packing-case or box and tag upon which latter the address' and stamp may be placed; to provide a complete packing-case or box made of a single plece of material, which requires no gum or similar substance to securely seal the same, and which may be either permanently sealed or temporarily fastened according t0 the necessities kof the case or the desire ofthe user; and to provide a sim le, cheap and practically universally utillzable box for olding, sealing and conveying articles of substantially every description.

With the above objects 1n view, and others which will appear during the course of this .description, my invention consists in the parts, features and combinations of elements hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings forming art of this dei scription: Figure l is a plan s owing the form of the blankfrom which the combined box and tag is produced; Fig. 2 is a plan showing the box land tag in'closed condition ready for mailing or conveyance; Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, showing the manner in which the parts are folded together; Fig. 4 is a similar section showinga receptacle for holding pills, ca sules, tablets or other like articles inclosed y the box or case; and Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

It should be understood that, heretofore, it has been proposed to make wrappers of paper, etc., in which boxes and other packages could be'infolded, and these wrappers have been made of a single sheet of material and given various forms according to the specific purposes or uses; and in some instances these wra pers have been large enough to enable aps or` extensions to be provided for the application ol the address and mailing stamp. All these Wrappers, or devices, however, are objectionable for both commercial and practical reasons, in that they are mere wrap ers and not yboxes or packing-cases capab e of receiving articles to be transported; because they afford no substantial protection for the infolded articles, being mere covers and not receptacles; because they are cumbersome, unsubstantial, and must be used with a box or packing-case of some special construction; and because, in most instances, glue or' mucilage is required to hold one or more parts closed. With regard to my invention, however, it should be understood that the -single piece of material, when folded into shape, forms and constitutes the box or packing-case, and when set up as presently described, does not require nucilage to seal the same. And, furthermore, when the box is made or set up it becomes a receptacle for any given article and is, at the same time, ready for shipment without further or additional Wra per. Hence it should be understood that the illustration, given in thedrawin s, of this invention is merely suggestive an illustrative and is not definitive of this invention, for manir modifications may be made in the form, proportions and particular parts of the blank rom which the box, or packing-case, is made, without departing from the spirit of my invention, the latter including in its generic sco e the idea of means of producing a box or pac ing-case, from a singlepiece of material, capable of being set up into proper form to be ready for shipment without the use of mucilage or similar substances; and also in-l combining an address-tag with a packingcase or box in such manner that` the'address and stamp may be applied to the tag without encroachment upon or bringing injury to the case or box..

In the instance of my invention, as I have chosen to illustrate it in the drawings, the blank is composed of a single sheet of material cut to form several distinct arts, as follows: the body-portion l, which ecomes the bottom oi the case; the opposite longitudinal portions 2, which become the sides of the case; the transverse portions 3 which become the ends of the case; the end or flap-portions e', formed in extension of the portions 2 at opposite ends thereof, which become the braces or stays at each end of the case and to which the end portions 3 may be glued, or otherwise securely fastened, as desired; the extreme side-portions 5 adjacent the side-portions 2, which become the top na s or in-folds of the case the portion 6, exten ed from one of the end-portions 3, which becomes the top of the case and covers the in-foldsor flaps 5; the portion 7, formed in extension of the other end 3 of the case, which becomes one of the fastening flaps of the case, cooperating with the extension 8 of the part 6 beyond the body of the box, which extension constitutes the tag for the address and stamp.

ln order to clearly understand the manner in which the box is folded into the form of Fig. 2, dotted lines are applied to the lan of Fig. 1, showing the lines along which t e material is creased and the box is folded into the form of Fig. 2; that -is to say, each part 2 is folded on the line e2 to stand at a rightangle to the part 1 and each part 3 is folded on the line ma tostand at a rightngle to the part 1, while the brace-parts l are folded on the line af at a rightangle to the parte 2, so.

as to overlap the arts 3. The parts 5 are then folded on the ines 2:5, which turns them down upon the receptacle or article to be conveyed; then the part 6 is folded on the line as to overlap the arts 5 and the part 7 is folded back on the line :t7 at a right angle to the end part 3 and into parallelism with the tag part 8. A fastening device 9, of any suitable form, either permanent or temporary, is then passed from one side to the other, as for instanceJe `through the apertures 10, in part 7 and the cooperating inner end part of the tag 8. Preferably, the tag part will be lined for the address and the corner at 11 -Will be blocked out and printed Put stamp here in order to prevent the stamp b ing applied to the body of the box. The s ctional views of Figs. 4 and 5 show a receptacle 12 in the packing-case and indicate clearly the manner in which said receptacle will be snugly and securely held in the packing-case; but, it will be evident that the article, or articles, to be transported maybe placed in the box or case directly instead of being first placed in said receptacle 12.

From the above description and the illustration of this invention 1t will be seen that a combined packing-case or box and tag has been constructed which is not only simple, but is quite effective for the purposes, .andit will .be readily understood that most any material suitable for the purpose may be employed, viz., light or heavy cardboard, stiff Manila pa er, thin metal, etc. And it will also be un erstood that l have produced aaaoce -the parts of the article are simple and the crease lines readily suggest the manner of folding the same to produce the article clearly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5; by having the tag integral with the box or case, it is not liable to be lost by beingtorn ott` and time is not wasted in tying or pasting a separate tag to the box; by providing the fastening part 7 at the tag end of the box, the juncture of the tag with the box is very much strengthened and a stay is provided thereby; the end-portions 4, which fold within the box and cooperate with Ythe end-portions '3 and hold the entire box in form, constitute braces for the corners and endsof the box which prevent the latter from being crushed even with very heavy pressure; the endportion 7, being extensive as shown, provides means whereby a permanent fastening may be made either lby the application of glue or mechanical fastening devices in place of the temporary fastener 9; by making the' end-portions 4 extensive as shown, they help to keep the box in shape or form and prevent its several folded parts from sagging or sporgeading apart after the fastener is applied for sealing the box; and by forming Ythe top of the box in extension of one end thereof and using the end of said top portion to aid in fastening the box, the latter is rigidly held closed, is strengthened, and its construction and settin up are materially simpliiied. However, a though l have shown the case as made from a sin le pieceof material, which is the preferred 'lorm and` the most advantageous on account of strength, general appearance, economy and simplicity, I wish it distinctly understood that 'in claimin certain features, I do not intend to be limite( to such construction, as my invention comprehends the broad idea of means set forth in the claims.

Having thus describe'dmy invention, what l claim and desire to secure by Letters Patentv is:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a

approximately thetplane of one of its sides through which a fastener may be passed to hold the box in proper form and seal the same.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a knock-down box formed from a flexible flatblank provided with flaps which are creased and folded to give the box a rectangular form with its ends braced to prevent it from being-crushed, and to produce two superimposed flaps projecting from the box in approximately the plane of one of its sides through which a fastener may be passed to hold the box in roper form and seal -the saine, one of said atter flaps being extended beyond the end of the other to provide an address tag.

3, As a new article of manufacture, a knock-down box formed from a flexible 'flatblank provided with flaps which are creased and folded to give the box a rectangular form with its ends braced to prevent it from being crushed, and with another'flap which is creased and folded over one end of the box to close said end' and then over one side of the box to hold its side-fiaps down, and then extended beyond the box, and means coperating withl said extension to hold thesame in position and enable the box to be sealed.

4. As a newarticle of manufactura, `a

knock-down box formed from a fiexible lat-A i blank provided with flaps which are creased and fo ded to give the box a rectangular form with its ends braced to prevent it from being crushed, and with another Hap which is creased and folded over one 'end of the box to close said end and then bent at a rightangle to said end to form ali extension, and means carried by the box and cooperating with said extension to hold the same in position and enable the box to'be sealed.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a knock-down box formed from a fiexible flatblank rovided with flaps which are creased and' foded to give the box-a rectangular form Withits ends braced to prevent it from being crushed, andl with another flap which is creased and folded over one end of the box to close the same and then over one side of thebox to hold its side-flaps down, and then extended beyond the box, and with another Hap which is creased and folded to extend over the other end of the box to close the same and then bent at a right-angle to said end so as to extend parallel with the extension of the other flap and so that a fastener may be passed through both said extensions to secure the same together', hold the box in proper form and seal the box.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto 'signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. y

HENRY M. WILLIS Witnesses:

CEAS. MGC. CHAPMAN, M. -HERsxovrrz- 

